I have always had trouble losing weight – the weighing scale has been my nemesis for as long as I can remember. Why? Because I love food! Indian butter chicken, Chinese schezwan noodles, Vietnamese Pho – you name it, I love it. I’ve been looking for ways to keep my voracious appetite under control, and here’s my solution – global dishes that are horrifying enough to kill your food cravings for a long time to come.

Fried TarantulasWhere? Cambodia
People with arachnophobia will want to stay away from this dish ; First discovered during the Khmer Rouge rule when Cambodians were starving, fried tarantulas have now become a delicacy in this country. The entire tarantula is fried whole, without getting rid of its fangs or legs, and sold on the streets of Skuon in Cambodia. It is said that tarantula meat tastes similar to chicken or cricket – sure, like I’d believe that!

Live OctopusWhere? Korea
One of the delicacies in Korea is the Sannakji, which is a dish made of live octopus. Prepared by sautéing the live octopus pieces in sesame oil, the tentacles are still moving on the plate when this dish is served. One important thing to remember is to chew properly and thoroughly. Even if one of the suction cups sticks to your throat, there is a danger of choking.

Casu Marzu/Rotten CheeseWhere? Sardinia
The speciality of this Sardinian cheese is that it is riddled with larvae of the insects. Casu Marzu is also known as ‘maggot cheese’. A big wheel of Parmesan is left outside on purpose so that the cheese flies can lay eggs on it. Today, even though this cheese is banned for various health reasons, you can still find it in the black market in certain parts of Italy.

Snake WineWhere? Vietnam
Snake wine is a bottle of rice wine that has a venomous snake inside it. The wine is a light pink color because of the snake blood in it. For months, the snake is left in the bottle so that the poison can merge with the wine. Worry not, this drink is not poisonous as ethanol counteracts the venom. This wine is extremely popular in Vietnam because snakes are thought to have medicinal properties.

Puffin HeartWhere? Iceland
For centuries, Puffin heart has been one of the delicacies of Iceland. ‘Sky fishing’ is actually a sport in Iceland, where the hunters catch these birds in a large net. They then break the neck of puffins and skin them. Eating the raw heart of the bird when it is still fresh and warm is regarded as a traditional delicacy of Iceland.